Film reel



J. M. KIUHLIK 1 2,355,594

FILM REEL Filed July 4, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet l J. M. KUHLlK Aug. 8, 1944.

FILM REEL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 4, 1942 INVENTOR.

Patented Aug. 8, 1944 FILM REEL Jacob Miles Kuhlik, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to Hattie B. Kuhlik, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application July 4,1942, Serial No. 449,713 Claims. (01.242-55) This invention'relates generally to sound recording and reproducing machines and more particularly to the construction and mounting of the film reels used therein.

In the ordinary machines, the reel comprises a hub member over which the film is wound, which hub member is positioned centrally between two circular side walls or disc members formed of light bendable metal which often become distorted and out of shape and as a result the reel rotates in a wobbly, noisy and irregular fashion.

In some machines now in use the hub member with the film wound therein rotates between stationary imperforate side walls or discs which are concentric with the hub and wound film and which extend radially of the hub for a distance equal to or greater than the width of the wound film with the result that the sides of the wound film for their entire area are liable to come into contact with the inner surfaces of said side walls when revolving and cause undue noise.

Also such side walls are so great in width that it is very difiicult to reach the hub member with the fingers in order to thread the end of the film into the hub member.

Furthermore in some of such machines, the film reel is exposed whereby it is liable to become damaged or liable to cause injury to the operator of the machine.

Due to the complex and massive character of such reels, it is also very difficult to position the reel on the spindle for operation and equally difficult to take the reel off of the spindle.

It is a primary object of my invention to eliminate the necessity for using disc shaped side walls and to provide instead a rigid frame member comprising a strip of unbendable metal encircling and crossing the hub member and wound film over a narrow portion of said members, thereby minimizing the frequency of noise friction.

It is a further object of my invention to reduce the amount of material necessary in the reel construction thereby reducing the cost of manufacture.

Another object is to provide means for easily mounting and demounting the reel on its spindle.

Still another object is to prevent damage to the reel and to prevent injury to the operator while the reel is in operation.

A further object is to provide a reel construction that is simple in construction, inexpensive and positive in action.

Other objects and advantages be appaf' rent from the description of the invention to follow taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a device in which my improved reel is employed.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged front View, of a reel, and.

the housing as mounted on the frame of the machine.

Fig. 3 is a side e evation of the showing of Fig. 2, partly shown in section.

Fig. 4 is a detail of the front removable cover of the housing.

' Fig. 5 is a detail view of the reel, removed from the machine.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the reel, partly in section.

Fig. '7 is a detail view of one of the upper studs to support the guard or housing.

Fig. 8 is a detail View of one of the lower studs e for the housing.

' sound. The reel shown, however, may be used in other machines and devices for tape, ribbon,-

etc.

In Fig. 1, I show in a general way a record-.

ing machine of a conventional type. The mechanism is supported on an upright plate lll,.which is supported in any desired. manner, as on a base ll of the casing and ateach end, and at the bottom part of the plate I9. At the ends adjacent the lower part of the plate reel spindles |2l2' are located and these spindles are alternately driven, at which time one or the other spindle is free to be revolved by the film band. When recording, the spindle I2 is revolved by any suitable means and thereby the reel to take up the film, and the spindle I2 is free for the reel to pay out the film, and when this action is reversed the spindle I2 is driven and the spindle 12 and the reel thereon is free.

The improved housing, indicated in a general way at [5, for each of the reels, may be of any desired form, round or square, here shown constructed of square plates. One is a fixed plate l6, supported on shouldered studs H, at the corners of the plate, and the studs are threaded at one end to receive nuts l8. The plates l6 are spaced from the plate 10 of the machine by sleeves IQ, of proper length determined by a shoulder 20, of the studs, and the plates [6 and the plate II] are bored to receive the studs at the reduced ends. The plates I6 rest against the shoulders of the studs and the sleeves I9 are applied between the plates I and I6, and when drawn up by the nuts I8 will permanently clamp the plates I6 to position on plate III. The studs extend outward of the shoulders to support front plates 2|, to form the forward wall of the housing. These plates are arranged to be quickly removed or replaced, and serve to hold a stationary reel frame 30, in position on the spindles I2 and I2, to be in proper alignment with the recording mechanism of the machine, or for any other purpose for which the reels may be used.

For this reason each of the studs at the top of the plates I6 is provided with shoulders 2|" and with reduced portions to enter apertures 22, in the tops of plates 2|, and at the lower part the front plates are slotted as at 23, to enter annular grooves 24, in the lower studs. By this arrangement, the plates 2| are brought forward, to be released from the topstuds, and the plates then lifted off the lower studs for removal, as will be readily understood by reference to Fig. 3.

At the top of each of the plates I6, a spring catch 25 is fixed, the free end of which is bent to catch over the front of the latter plate 2|, in a recessed part 25, of the plate, for holding the plate, as well as the reel spool, and a stationary frame thereof, in position for use.

Each of the spindles I2 and I2 has a slotted end 21, to receive and drive a transverse pin 28, fixed in a reel spool 29. The spool 29, the only revolving member of the reel, is mounted in a stationary frame 30, see Figs. and 6.

The reel as preferably constructed consists of the spool 29, surrounded by the frame 30, that is held stationary while the spool is driven, and the spool is revolved by the spindle that supports both the spool and the frame.

The spool 29 is preferably made of Wood, bored at its center to receive a metal sleeve 3|, see Fig. 6, of a length somewhat longer than the width of the spool. The sleeve 3| is pinned by the pin 28 passing through the spool, which fixes the sleeve to the spool and when in position on the spindle in the slotted end 21 thereof, will drive the spool. The ends of the sleeve 3| extend at each side of the spool and through apertures 32 of the frame 3|), on each side of the spool for free action of the spool in the frame. This frame of light strip material and of less width than the diameter of the spool is bent in an elongated rectangular form to surround the spool at the sides, top and bottom thereof, forming the side walls 33, in which the apertures 32 are centrally located and ride on the sleeve ends, the inner end 34, of the sleeve being reduced to provide a shoulder to receive a washer 35, and rolled over to hold one side member of the frame and the washer in place. On the other end, the sleeve end 36 is closed by a plate 31, which holds the other side member in position. The strip forming the frame is joined at the bottom by a lap joint and riveted as at 30. From this it will be apparent that the reel spool is free to be driven and the frame may be held stationary.

In Fig. 9, I show the reel as it could be used without the protecting housing I5.

The frame I0 is bored to receive a square-stud 38, held in place by a nut I8, the free end of the stud being bored to receive a projecting pin 39 fixed to the inner side wall of the frame 30, which enters the bore of the stud, as at 39, and prevents the rotation of the frame on the sleeve 3|.

The frame is held against the stud by a spring catch 40, that is fixed to the stud at one end, and the free end bent to engage over the top and front of the frame to hold the reel structure in working position on the spindle, and a finger piece 4|, on the front of the frame is shown for removal of the reel from the spindle.

In the form where the housing I5 is employed, the plate I6 serves as a stop to position the twopart reel, and here the pin 39 enters a bore 4| in the plate I6 to prevent rotation of the reel frame, and the spring 25 holds the front plate 2| of the housing locked on the studs I1, and the reel'in position.

The front plate 2| is quickly removed by tilting it forward at the top and lifting it off of the lower studs, and to remove the reel, the front plate has a large bore 2| in its center so access may be had to the plate 31 of the reel.

The plate 31 fixed to the front of the stationary frame serves a very useful purpose since while the reel is in motion this plate being stationary will permit making notes thereon, through this opening 2|". For this purpose, the face of the plate may be formed with lines as shown in Fig. 2 for receiving written matter, such as the title of the film, filing data, etc., which written matter may be erased when a different film is mounted on the reel.

The plate however may be applied with a printed sticker card or paper so printed that it may at any time be removed and another paper applied.

This form of reel is especially useful in sound recording machines where quick action is required to remove a reel, to re-wind and drive forward, to play-back recorded matter previously impressed in the film.

The spool 29 is formed with a slot 42 in its periphery for inserting the end of the film strip thereinto as is usual. Because of the narrowness of the frame 30 leaving the periphery of the spool exposed, this slot can be easily reached by the fingers of the operator for readily inserting the end of the strip therein.

It will also be noted that the circular plate 31 protrudes beyond the edges of the side walls 33 of the frame by reason of which it serves as a ready handle for mounting and demounting the reel.

chine, a casing, a plate fixed on said casing, a

. spindle rotatably mounted on said plate and having a bifurcated end portion, a spool member rotatably supported on said spindle including a cylindrical body portion having a central bore, a sleeve member fastened in said bore and having its ends extending beyond the sides of the body portion and a pin extending across the central opening in said sleeve for coacting with the bifurcated end portion of said spindle for rotating the spool member and a frame formed of a narrow fiat strip of rigid metal encircling said body portion including spaced walls loosely mounted on the extending ends of the sleeve and a pin member on one wall of said frame for insertion into an opening in a fixed portion of said casing for positioning said frame on the casing and for preventing rotation of the frame on the sleeve.

3. In a sound recording and reproducing machine, a casing, a plate fixed on said casing, a spindle rotatably mounted on said plate and having a bifurcated end portion, a spool member rotatably supported on said spindle including a cylindrical body portion having a central bore, a sleeve member fastened in said bore and having its ends extending beyond the sides of the body portion and a pin extending across the central opening in said sleeve for coaoting with the bifurcated end portion of said spindle for rotating the spool member and a frame formed of a narrow fiat strip of rigid metal encircling said body portion including spaced walls loosely mounted on the extending ends of the sleeve, a pin on one wall of said frame for insertion into an opening in a stationary portion of said casing for positioning said frame on the casing and for preventing rotation of the frame on the sleeve and a circular plate on the other wall to serve as a handle and to receive written matter thereon.

4. In a sound recording and reproducing machine, a base, an upright plate on said base, a spindle rotatably supported on said plate and projecting forwardly thereof, a film reel operatively connected to the forward end of said spindle including a frame having a circular plate member and a housing for said film reel including a rear plate fastened to said upright plate, a front cover plate spaced from said rear plate and having a circular opening for viewing said circular plate member and a slot and stud connection between said upright plate and said cover plate for removably holding said cover plate in position.

5. In a sound recording and reproducing machine, a base, an upright plate on said base, a spindle rotatably supported on said plate and projecting forwardly thereof, a film reel operatively connected to the forward end of said spindle and a housing for said film reel includ ing upper and lower studs projecting forwardly of the upright plate, said upper studs being formed with reduced outer end portions and said lower studs being formed with circular grooves adjacent the outer ends thereof, a plate member fixedly supported on said studs forward of said upright plate, a cover plate on said studs forward of said film reel and having openings in its upper edge adapted to receive the reduced end portions of the upper studs and having slots in its lower edge to coact with the circular grooves in the lower studs whereby said cover plate may be released from said studs and a latch member on the upper edge of the fixed plate adapted to engage the upper edge of said cover plate for releasably holding the cover plate in position.

JACOB MILES KUHLIK. 

